CERES, California. —
The body of a 72-year-old Ceres woman was found in a Turlock canal, two months after she disappeared, police say.
The Ceres Police Department said the body was found Saturday in a canal operated by the Turlock Irrigation District (TID) near Central Avenue and Keyes Road. The body was found by an employee who was conducting daily patrols.
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Police received confirmation from the Stanislaus County Coroner’s Office on Tuesday that the person had been identified as Ajit Kaur.
Kaur was reported missing Aug. 23 from the Casa Grande Apartment complex in the 3100 block of Whitmore Avenue. Her family previously said Kaur left her home but never returned.
Information received during the investigation led investigators to believe that Kaur may have entered the canal located east of the apartment complex. The canal runs parallel to Moore Road near Whitmore Avenue.
Throughout the investigation, police said considerable effort was made to find Kaur and followed up on available leads. Agents and detectives canvassed the area, including the canals running through Ceres, and tried to find surveillance footage to help determine her whereabouts.
The Merced County Sheriff’s Office also provided a trained K-9 to track and find missing persons. The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department’s dive unit used a remote underwater sonar drone to search the channels.
Investigators researched possible waterways and worked with TID to better understand the canal system.
The matter remains under investigation.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Berber at 209-538-5672.
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